President
Ray Flippence and his small band of workers are currently preparing for a major
milestone in the life of the hall. The day of celebration has been set down for
Saturday October 20 beginning at 11am, with all interested persons and anyone
with a connection to the hall, invited to come along.

A
large display of photographs and memorabilia, depicting the hall over this long
time of service to the community, will be on display for all to enjoy.

The
day will culminate in a special unveiling of a plaque at approximately 3pm by
Mr Flippence and current hall patron James Gollan, descendant of the builder of
the hall, Captain Hector Gollan.

The
unveiling will be followed by afternoon tea and a chance for all to reminisce
over the many memories of good times held at the hall.

The
hall committee is currently sending out invitations to those folk who have
affiliation with the hall, but all residents of our great township are welcome
to be part of the celebrations also.

Morning
and afternoon tea will be available for a gold coin donation. All
funds raised will go to the continued maintenance and upkeep of this important
Tinonee facility.

On
the site, the first building to be established was the Windsor Castle Hotel
which was replaced with the first hall, at what is now known as 11 Manchester
Street, Tinonee. It had a colourful history in so much as it was originally known
as the Temperance Hall when it was built in 1880. The hall served the community
until interest waned and the group went into liquidation.

This
hall was purchased by Captain Gollan in 1911 and he obviously decided the
building was not large enough, so decided to build a bigger one, which became known
as The Federal Hall.

When
the second hall on the site was built, it is said that the original structure
was used as scaffolding, before it was then demolished after the partial
construction of the new hall.

Not
only did Captain Gollan build the hall, but he had tables and stools built from
pit sawn timers of trees he had felled 44-45 years previously.

One
of these large tables is still used to this day in the hall, as are several of
the wooden stools.

The
Memorial School of Arts Hall was completed in 1912, but wasn’t officially
opened until Tuesday, February 25, 1913 by the politicians of the day: John Thomson
MHR and R A Price MLA.

Also
in attendance were Ald L O Martin, mayor of Taree and Mr C Boyce together with
a very large group of local residents, including Captain Gollan and his wife.
From newspaper records and family stories it is said that the afternoon continued
with a banquet for some 80 persons in the large dining room beneath the hall
with many speeches and well wishes before the formalities concluded.

Later
in the evening a dance was held, going well into the evening “when the young
folk spent a right merry time”.

The
hall remained in the ownership of the Gollan family even after the death of
Captain Gollan’s wife Margaret when it was passed to their son George and
following his untimely death, to his wife Artie.

When
maintenance of the building became a problem, Ernie Sawyer, the president of
the local Progress Association, called a public meeting on October 16, 1943
where it was agreed the land and building would be purchased for three hundred
pounds.